Apples, Acorns, and Oaks ... Oh My!
Those of us who are geographically fortunate enough to experience the change of seasons have to admit that autumn is certainly a very welcome and refreshing time of year. Most of us are just crossing over the finish line of the dog days of summer and are more than ready to fold up our beach chairs and drain the pool as the leaves and pine needles begin their annual descent.
The air conditioning units are shut off and the windows are gladly opened in order to allow the cool, evening breezes to move over us as we snuggle under a soft blanket while the harvest moon watches from a distance. Leaves quietly rustle as the wide-eyed owl softly “hoots” in perfect rhythm off in a wooded distance.
The backdrop of our everyday lives begins to reveal broad paint-brush strokes of oranges, golds, yellows, and browns. The neighborhood produce stand proudly displays its “Apples for Sale” sign, as the Granny’s, Red Delicious, Macintosh, and Rone’s compete to be picked. And, of course, next to them, no apple would be complete without the recipes of how to candy-coat or caramelize those beauties!
Nature and all of its surroundings gracefully unfold into a season of bountiful harvest. God’s agricultural laws of sowing and reaping show off their finest exhibition of fruits, vegetables, and grains that one could possibly fill in a basket. There is a longstanding formula of wonderful provision that first begins with the planting of a single seed.
This natural law of reciprocity is not just exclusive to plants and trees. There are many types of seeds that can be sown. There are the seeds of a kind word or a friendly smile, a helping hand or a pat on the back, a home-cooked meal or a heartfelt “I’m sorry.” On and on the list can go. All of these “giving of yourself” type seeds, after they are sown in the ground, can begin to produce quite a large harvest, as well. Let’s begin to gather up the fruit of the Spirit, for there are many souls in need of this particular bounty of harvest!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (NIV)
Copyright © Missey Butler, used with permission.
